Dual Boot 98SE and XP- Help please

[Davbaron]

I have a modern gaming computer( not this one ) running 98SE.
I am thinking of going to XP. Do I dual boot or upgrade?
I thought I could put the XP (Upgrade version ) disc into the CD tray, boot from that and then I could elect a clean install and the XP disc would find a partition on my HD and load itself. ?
Then I read that would only happen IF I had already a vacant second partition made on the hard drive. I don't know if I have or not. I cannot remember from when I loaded 98SE( which was itself an upgrade version from 95).
How do I find out if i have one or more partitions( volumes ) . I do have Sisoft sandra loaded. Can I interrogate that, and is so, how?
OR
Do I have to clean off my present 98SE system , ie re format and then make two aprtitions, re-load 98se and then load XP. (If so, I'll just upgrade 98se to XP )
If I can keep 98se system files etc as they are now, I take it i should uninstall Zonealarm and GoBack- to avoid conflicts. I also have Systemworks 2002 but not the Antivirus parts ( They have been taken off already )

I also have ISP settings which I don't use because the ISP cuts me off I believe because the ISP doesn't like me trying to use the same account for each computer. So I am going to go broadbnd via a Cable modem. I take it that I would do this AFTER a dual boot, but BEFORE an ordinary upgrade from 98SE to XP- depending on which i choose?

Sorry there is a lot there, but this dual booting was put to me as being a doddle, but it seems there are quite some issues.
TIA

 

[josphII]

you would know if you had a vacant second parition. you can make a second partition on the fly with the program partition magic 8.0. sisoft = not what your looking for.

you can just go ahead and upgrade, there will be an option to back up your currrent system files so you can actually uninstall windows xp if you so desire

 

[Davbaron]

Thanks for the reply - But how would i know if i had a second partition? (If I did, I wouldn't ask). Maybe this explains why I am asking- It is a quote from page 14 of a Magazine re XP Tips and tricks published by PC Advisor in UK.
""If you leave some unpartitioned space on yoiur hard drive during the installation of the first O.S.(98SE) the second O.S.(XP) will install into this space. This will make the installation of the second OS much easier as you will not need to repartition your hard disk"
The bits in brackets are my additions.
Ref SySoft Sandra - I know it can't partition for me , I was asking if it could help me find out if my computer now had one partition or two? or more?

 

[josphII]

run fdisk and there should be an option saying view current partitions or something like that - i think
to do this open up an ms dos window and simply type fdisk. or simply get your hands on partition magic

you would know if you had a second partition because the 2nd partition would get assigned a drive letter, such as d:

the only way this wouldnt happen is if the partition was formatted with the linux file format or formated using the ntfs file format (for windows nt, 2k, xp) or if you simply had unformated space on your hard disk

if you bought that comp with win95 installed then there is absolutely no reason the whole disk wouldnt be one big fat32 partition, or (very unlikely) two fat32 partitions, but you would know this because you would have two drive letters c: and d: for your single hard disk. the reason i say you would know is because there is no reason your hard disk wouldnt be one big fat32 partition, in other words YOU would have to have created the 2nd partition

i have sisoft sandra 2001te installed and as far as i know it doesnt show you what partitions you have - but then again maybe it does and i just dont know about it

 

[bETAbILLY]

I only dual boot because I have some old hardware that isnt supported by XP.

 

[TomBilliodeaux]

Have you tried to run those oldies in XP compatibility mode for w98?

If you still think you need to install dual, get Partitiion Magic latest version. It will easily do whatever you wish to do to be ready for installing another o/s.
You need at least 3.5 Gb for XP if you install only basic office and utilities on the o/s partition. Larger if you install everything on the o/s partition (say 5.0 gb).
(Need up to 20% reserve to allow for efficient defragmenting)
pm if you need more help creating the partition.